Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objectives: A prospective study that was carried out to evaluate the nutritional status of children at hospital admission and again on discharge from hospital and correlate the changes in their nutritional status with selected socio-demographic variables.
Methods: The study included 293 children, aged 1-60 months admitted to Basrah Maternity and children Hospital from the first of November 2007 till the end of May 2008. Weight and height were measured by standard methods expressed in Z-scores for weight/age, height or length/age and weight/height according to World Health Organization Growth Standards. They were measured on admission and body weight and weight/height z score measured again on discharge, in addition to selected socio-demographic variables.
Results: The prevalence of wasting increased by hospital discharge and there is decrease in the frequency of well nourished children from 66.2% to 61.4% at discharge. Fourteen (7.2%) of well nourished children on admission progress to mild wasting on discharge from hospital, 21% of children with mild wasting initially deteriorated to moderate wasting, while 7.3% of children with moderate wasting progress to severe wasting on discharge. A significant association was reported between mother illiteracy, prolonged hospitalization, initial under nutrition and chronic diarrhea with weight loss during hospitalization.
Conclusion: The overall frequency of malnutrition has increased by discharge, and Prolonged hospitalization is associated with significant positive correlation with weight loss.